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GRAMMY AWARDS: Best Rap Album Nominees

By Kyle McCann

February 7, 2017

Who dropped the hottest album of 2016? We’re about to find out as music’s biggest night is just around the corner. But first, we want your take on the nominees for best rap album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards this Sunday.

With a couple familiar names, a newcomer or two, and a few living legends in the rap game, here are the 2017 nominees: Coloring Book, Chance the Rapper; Blank Face LP, ScHoolboy Q; Views, Drake; The Life of Pablo, Kanye West; And the Anonymous Nobody…, De La Soul; Major Key, DJ Khaled.

Preview each artist below by checking out the lead single off of their nominated albums.

Coloring Book - Chance The Rapper

With seven total nominations Chance the Rapper may be new to some in the mainstream but his mixtapes have been taking the rap world by storm since 2012. Fun fact: Chance the Rapper co-wrote tracks and was featured on fellow nominee Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo.

The winners of the Best Rap Album Grammy have traditionally been the most commercially successful albums, which puts Drake’s Views squarely in the driver’s seat. With “Hotline Bling” setting off a string of hot fire, it’ll be hard to top this star-studded album.

The Life of Pablo - Kanye West

Raw, unfiltered, intentionally messy. However you describe Yeezy’s 7th studio album, it is no doubt an artful change from what we’re used to hearing from Kanye. West has more Grammy awards than anyone else in the category combined, and could add to his 21 with this release.

And the Anonymous Nobody - De La Soul

Funded by Kickstarter, De La Soul’s 9th full-length studio album is a thrilling reminder of why they are one of rap’s most influential and important groups. Smooth, strong, jazzy, powerful, and beautiful, And the Anonymous Nobody is a celebration of hip hop presented in an almost feature length movie progression track-by-track.

Major Key - DJ KhaledAll those years of grinding have paid off for DJ Khaled. Featuring Jay Z, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Future, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj and more of rap’s biggest names, the 9th studio album from the NOLA native is the perfect soundtrack for any night.

The 2017 GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 12 on CBS.